Both the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns hope to be a significant part of the playoff picture in the Western Conference, as the Suns finished with the best record in the league last season, and the Nuggets finished as the sixth seed in the Western Conference NBA standings.
The Suns vs. Nuggets betting picks do have both teams doing significantly well this upcoming season, but a lot of their respective success will come down to health and how well they can minimize outside distractions.
Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets Odds Breakdown
The Suns vs. Nuggets betting picks have the Suns favored -4.5 in the first of their NBA matchups, but in all reality, this game can go either way, as the regular players aren’t expected to see the usual run they’ll see in the regular season and the players who are looking for a chance to play in the NBA will get their opportunity.
Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets Betting Preview
The Phoenix Suns were the best team in the NBA record-wise last season, but with the offseason turmoil they dealt with their current owner Robert Sarver and the Deandre Ayton extension talks, this season could go completely wrong for an otherwise promising group.
Chris Paul is also going to be a whole nother year older, so at some point, the Suns have to find adequate help for them to be able to rely on Paul less and keep his legs fresh for when they need him more, which is postseason time.
CP3
CP3 is still one of the most brilliant minds in the game of basketball today, especially with his playmaking skills. However, his body can’t hold up with the rigors of the game it was once able to.
Devin Booker continues his rise as one of the perennial MVP candidates of the league with his ability to score the basketball and facilitate for others, but Booker is going to need help if he wants to lead the Suns to a championship, as it’s extremely hard for one player to do it by themselves.
Mikal Bridges Comeback
The Suns have Mikal Bridges back into the fold, as he’s coming off a successful season in which he established himself as one of the better two-way players in this game.
Ayton is also back in the mix after some offseason uncertainty, as he’ll continue to be the post-scoring presence for the Suns. If he can provide a little more scoring, that’ll go a long way for the Suns betting odds to go their way.
Bounce-Back Season
The Nuggets are looking for a bounce-back season after winning just one playoff game in the first round against the Golden State Warriors last season.
Nikola Jokic will continue to lead the Nuggets team stats in points, rebounds, and assists. He’s that dominant of a player.
Jokic Can Count With His Teammates
But when it comes to the rigors of the playoffs, Jokic can definitely use some help from his Nuggets teammates, and that is where the return of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. will help significantly.
Murray proved that he could be one of the elite scorers in the league when he’s healthy. He and Donovan Mitchell traded 50-point efforts in their playoff matchup against the Utah Jazz down in the 2020 Orlando bubble.
Porter Jr. has proven that he can be a deadly scorer with his frame and attributes, but health has really held him back.
Add in the depth of the Nuggets with:
- Bruce Brown
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- Aaron Gordon
- Bones Hyland
- Jeff Green
And this team will be in business this season. They could potentially get to the Finals, as they did get to the Conference Finals the last time Jokic, Murray, and Porter Jr. were all healthy together at the same time.
Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets Betting Preview
The Suns vs. Nuggets betting picks will likely favor the Nuggets to do more damage during the regular season, as they have the MVP in the league on their roster, surrounded by a ton of talented players.
NBA Pick: Nuggets +4.5 (-110)
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